Manthey duo Bachler/Preining in America: in high spirits

“IMSA is a completely different kind of motorsport. As a DTM driver, you really have to adapt for the Endurance Cup. It’s also about fuel management; you’ve got team-mates and longer distances. Well, I’m familiar with that from the GT World Challenge too, but I really like the atmosphere in IMSA,” says Preining.

Has he rediscovered his enjoyment of the DTM following the frustration at Nuremberg, thanks to his win and third place at Oschersleben? Preining admits: “Of course, when you win, it’s always fun. But it’s all very inconsistent. If, like us, you’re one of those still in with a chance of the championship and then find yourself finishing outside the top ten several times, it’s really frustrating. If it were the same for everyone, it would be bearable, but when others frequently get two cars on the podium, it gets boring.” Still, with six DTM races remaining, anything is still possible – even for the 2023 champion. As for his sporting future, there are no new developments yet. Preining, whose Porsche contract expires this year, says: “You have to weigh up all the options. The DTM has always been my priority; I’ve always felt at home there.”

His Manthey team-mate Bachler has always enjoyed racing in the US. “Road America is one of the coolest circuits.” For Sunday, he’s expecting “an endurance race with plenty of excitement. The prototypes can’t overtake the GT cars so easily here; they stand to lose a lot in the process. There’ll also be a lot of dirt on the track away from the racing line. I think we’ll see plenty of action on Sunday.”

Commenting on the championship situation ahead of the final two endurance races, the Styrian said: “This season, the win at Sebring was certainly a highlight. Unfortunately, we retired at Watkins Glen; that could have been a very good result. So our chances of winning the Endurance Cup are slim, but we’ll give it our all here and at Road Atlanta.”

Bachler added: “Racing alongside a fellow Austrian in a top team makes it even better.”

Topic of the week

The 2027 Formula 1 grid: Will the transfer bombshell only drop in the autumn?

Summertime, holiday season, the silly season: these are the weeks when the most outrageous driver changes are usually discussed. The big news for the 2027 season is yet to materialise.

Mathias Brunner

Read more